Suu Kyi Launches Signature Campaign for Amendments

Aung San Suu Kyi signs a petition calling for Burma’s 2008 Constitution to be amended at the National League for Democracy’s office in Naypyidaw’s Ottara Thiri Township. (Photo: NLD / Facebook)

RANGOON — On the first day of a nationwide signature campaign organized by Burma’s main opposition party and a prominent activist group, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi signed her name to the petition at one of her party’s offices in Naypyidaw.

At 8:30 am, Suu Kyi arrived at the National League for Democracy (NLD) office in Ottara Thiri Township, where she spoke with nearly 3,000 supporters after signing the petition, said Min Thu, an NLD lawmaker from the township.

“She signed at the Ottara Thiri office because she lives in that township when she’s in Naypyidaw,” the MP told The Irrawaddy.

He said Suu Kyi visited each NLD office of Naypyidaw’s five townships, spending nearly 30 minutes at each. She thanked visitors who came to sign the petition and explained why she believes the Constitution should be amended.

The signature campaign is organized by the NLD and the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society and will last for two months. It follows two public rallies by both groups in Rangoon and Mandalay last week to show public support for constitutional amendments. Any Burmese citizen who is 18 years or older can sign at the offices of either group across the country.

During a nearly 10-minute speech on Tuesday morning, Suu Kyi explained why the NLD and the 88 Generation are focusing specifically on amending Article 436 of the Constitution.

“It says that if we don’t have approval from army representatives in Parliament, we can’t make any change to the charter,” she said. “So, please sign to make change. I’m asking you to join us because we want to introduce a peaceful tradition that can bring change.”

In Rangoon, the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society also held a petition launching ceremony, joined by hundreds of people including politicians from ethnic parties.

“It’s an open invitation to anyone to take part in the amendment of the charter,” Ko Ko Gyi, a leader of the group, told The Irrawaddy.

After the signature campaign ends on July 19, the NLD and the 88 Generation will review all entries before submitting them to Parliament’s Constitution Review Committee. The numbers of participants will not be publicized until the review process is finished.

11 Responses to Suu Kyi Launches Signature Campaign for Amendments

Amazing. Expressing what we want is signaling to the regime that we the people are here to change if the regime does want to do the job. If the loud call from the public falls on the deaf ears of regime, we have to go to Naypitaw and shout at their ears’ drums.

Suu Kyi is our fairy. Suu Kyi is our diamond. Suu Kyi is our steel lady. Suu Kyi is our Queen of hearts. Suu Kyi is our soul. Suu Kyi is more than all the USDP regime members combined. Suu Kyi is fighting for our bright future while Regime is dragging us back toward 1962. Suu Kyi is straightforward while USDP is wicked and covetous. Suu Kyi promises us with what we want while USDP runs monkey’s way of democracy. People know best whom to follow and whom to forsake/abandon. We are always following Suu Kyi until we see new dawn with bright democratic rays.

Millions of people are signing for constitutional amendment which regime cannot ignore. By ignoring the will of the super majority people, regime will commit suicide. So, regime better tries to behave like human beings. In the past, regime had behaved like the beasts which just care about devouring human flesh. Now, people are ready to face off the regime. If regime ignores the voice of the super majority people, blood will flow in the land which the myanmar history has never seen it before. Myanmar are united in suu kyi and min ko naing. Ethnics are united at unfc.

100% right. DASSK and ming ko naing do not forget about the strength of UNFC-all ethnics.UNFC should not sign peace agreement with fox than shwe in this situation. Fight against 2008 nargic constitution, designed by fox.

Gen Ne Win had committed 1974 election to cement his power base and as a consequence, fourteen years later, over three thousand civilians were killed in a national uprising in 1988.

Now, Gen Than Shwe had committed 2010 election (2008 Constitution), as part of Seven Point Road Map to cement his power base. So, we can only hope to God it might not turn the country into a ‘Killing Field’ similar to Pol Pot’s Cambodia. Furthermore, he will use force (the Army) to achieve his goals.

If any cause is woth sacrificing a little , this is IT, especially for the uniformed. This is the time and place to show your valor, sacrifice and loyalty to the nation, not to a few opportunists and con artists.